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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

THOMAS RICHARDS 1596-1651

[Ancestral Link: Lura Minnie Parker (Stagge), daughter of Minnie May Elmer (Parker), daughter of Mark Alfred Elmer, son of William Elmer, son of Sarah Peak (Elmer), daughter of Joanna Ellingwood (Peake), daughter of Joanna Hunt (Ellingwood), daughter of Ephraim Hunt, son of Thomas Hunt, son of Anna Richards (Hunt), daughter of Thomas Richards.]

THOMAS RICHARDSORIGIN: Pitminster, SomersetshireMIGRATION: 1633FIRST RESIDENCE: DorchesterREMOVES: Weymouth 1639RETURN TRIPS: To England about 1640, again 1646, again about 1649 (and perhaps on other occasions)OCCUPATION: Merchant.CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Admission to Weymouth church prior to 13 May 1640 implied by freemanship.FREEMAN: 13 May 1640 [ MBCR 1:377].EDUCATION: He signed his will. No doubt he was a competent arithmetician, being a well-stocked merchant.OFFICES: Dorchester selectman, 8 October 1633 [ DTR 3].ESTATE: On 5 August 1633 Thomas Richards received a four-acre lot at Dorchester [DTR 2]. On 22 November 1634 "Mr. Richards" was granted a great lot of six acres [DTR 9].On 5 July 1636 he received a grant of ten acres at Squantum Neck [DTR 18].On 2 January 1637/8 he was granted two acres [DTR 26].On 18 March 1637/8 he received grants of eleven acres and twelve acres [DTR 29]. In the meadow beyond Naponset, Mr. Richards received lot number eleven containing twelve acres [DTR 321].In about 1640, Thomas Richards of Weymouth conveyed to Nicholas Butler twelve acres on Dorchester neck [ Lechford 243].

In his will, dated 17 December 1650 and proved 28 January 1650[/1], Thomas Richards "of the town of Waymouth in New England being at this present [illegible] the 17 December 1650 in the town of Hull in New England aforesaid in the house of Tho: Loringe, being weak and sick in body" bequeathed that "when my son John come home my whole estate shall be cast up what it comes to and my sons John and James and Samuell and Joseph and Benjamine shall have all of them alike, double portions to my daughters out of it, my son John shall have no more than one of the rest because I have been at greater charge with him than with any of the other[s]"; "my daughter[s] Mary and Ann and Alce and Hannah shall have half so much as my sons all alike, only my daughter Mary shall have £10 more than any of the other"; "my wife shall have a competent and sufficient maintenance allowed her out of my estate, that is to say £35 a year ... during her life"; "I do give to brother Thom. Loring £5 for the charge and trouble they have been at with me"; to "Thomas Prosser £20"; "my son John shall have my sons Joseph's and Benjamine's portions in his hands until they be twenty and one years of age"; overseers "my son John and Thomas Loringe and Nicolas Baker both of Hull [sic]" [ SPR NS 1:64; see also MD 9:90]. The heirs petitioned the court 28 January 1650[/1] explaining that "our dear father Mr. Thomas Richards" died without naming an executor in his will, and petitioning that "our dear mother Mrs. Welthian Richards, late wife of our dear father, deceased" be granted power to improve the estate and bring in an inventory. This was signed by "James Richards, Joseph Richards, Benjamin Richards, Mr. Thomas Hinckley desires the same by his letter, Mr. Wil[lia]m Bradford also desires the same by his letter, Epharim Hunt and Hannah Richards." The motion to accept came from Mr. John Richards [SPR 1:65 NS; MD 9:90]. The probate papers further indicated that Welthian had "been very faithful and provident for her husband conserning his estate" and that "when he went last to England he made her a letter of attorney to buy or sell or ordering of any of his estate he left behind him here" [SPR NS 1:65]. The inventory of the goods of "Mr. Thomas Richards late of Weymouth" was taken 25 January 1650[/1] £1300 17s. 11d. including £200 in real estate: "his house and land and orchard and mill £200" [SPR NS 1:66-72]. This very detailed list includes many items of clothing, obviously a merchant's stock, and "thirty-six swords." Widow Welthean Richards signed over the estate due him to her son John Richards 30 January 1651[/2] saying that "after all the rest of my said husband's estate left to his children be made appear to be wholly expended in the satisfying of those debts in England, that my said estate shall be liable to make up what shall be remaining unsatisfied thereof" [ SLR 1:144]. Her children deeded to her the home, land and mill and sizable sums of money for her comfortable maintenance 30 January 1651[/2] [SLR 1:171]. In her will, dated 3 July 1679 and proved 4 November 1679, "Welthean Richards of Boston ..., widow," bequeathed to "my eldest son John Richards all that my dwelling house and land adjoining scituate in Boston," along with £300 of mine which has been in his hands; to "my son James Richards" £250 of mine which has been in my hands; to Thomas Bradford £5, to Alice Bradford £60, to Hannah Bradford £40; to Mercy Bradford £10, to William Bradford Jr. £20, to John Bradford £10, to Samuel Bradford £5, to Melatiah Bradford £5, to Mary Bradford £5, to Sarah Bradford £5, "these ten above last named being children of William Bradford of Plymouth Colony and my daughter Alice deceased"; to Samuel Hinckley £20, to Thomas Hinckley Jr. £30, to Sarah Bacon £10, to Hannah Glover £5, to Mellatiah Crocker £5, to Bathshua Hinckley £5, to Mehitable Hinckley £5, to Mary Wyborne £5, "these eight last mentioned being children of Thomas Hinckly of Plymouth Colony and my daughter Mary deceased"; to Ephraim Hunt and John Hunt, "sons to Ephraim hunt Sr. of Weymoth and my late daughter Anne," £5 apiece; to "the daughter of Mary Wiborne abovesaid £5, and to her son £10; to the son of Hannah Glover £5; to John Bradford's two children £5 each; to Samuel Hinckley's child £5; to Sarah Bacon's two children £5 each; to "my son James's six children" 20s. apiece; to Thomas Hunt's two children £5 apiece; "more to Alice & Hannah Bradford £5 each to put them in mourning at my funeral"; various philanthropic bequests and bequests of household goods to some of the children and grandchildren named above; "my loving son John Richards to be sole executor and residuary legatee [SPR 6:314-16; MD 9:91].

BIRTH: Baptized 15 April 1596, Pitminster, Somersetshire, son of Thomas Richards [ UGM 24:93].DEATH: Between 17 December 1650 (date of will) and 18 January 1650/1 (date of first inventory).MARRIAGE: By 1620 Welthian _____. Perhaps she was sister to Thomas Loring, whom Thomas called "brother" in his will. She died between 3 July 1679 (date of will) and 4 November 1679 (probate of will).

vii SAMUEL, born say 1634; named in father's will but not mother's; "consider the trouble that I have with Sammuell for he is such a trouble that none will share with me in, and if I put him out it will cost me so much that I cannot well bear" (Welthian Richards to her son John, 20 March 1652/3 [WP 6:268]).

viii JOSEPH, born say 1636 (under 21 in 1650); petitioned to name mother administrator of father's will (28 January 1650/1), but not named in mother's will (3 July 1679); no further record.

ASSOCIATIONS: On 26 March 1654 Thomas Allyn of Barnstable deposed regarding a trip which he had made to England five years earlier, during which he had sought out Hugh Norman, a former resident of Yarmouth in Plymouth Colony who had abandoned his wife in Yarmouth, returned to England and was living in Orchard, a parish near Taunton, Somersetshire. In the course of this deposition Allyn reported that, "having understood that Mr. Richards lived thereabouts, I went unto him he being his cousin and brought him over to New England, so he told me of his wickedness and his bad life he then lived in." This document was followed immediately by an undated deposition by Thomas Richards, also reporting on what he knew of Hugh Norman [MD 6:102-03, citing PCLR 2:1:105; see also NEHGR 68:62]. Assuming that the deposition of Thomas Richards was made at the time about which Allyn was reporting, this would place Thomas Richards in the vicinity of Taunton in England in 1649, probably on his last trip to England before his death. This does not constitute proof that Richards resided in this part of England before he first migrated to New England, but it is certainly a clue which should be vigorously pursued.

COMMENTS: In about 1638 Aspinwall recorded the receipt of £100 by Israel Stoughton from Thomas Richards in payment of a debt due Gabriel Cornish of Weymouth and Melcomb Regis, Dorsetshire [Lechford 159-60; WP 4:133-34]. About 1640, Joseph Hollway of Sandwich, millwright, deposed that "in or about March last past he heard the wife of Thomas Richards of Weymouth speaking of Henry Waltham and Willm Waltham say these words vizt The Walthams are cozeners and cheaters" [Lechford 321]. Henry Waltham told his side of the story to John Winthrop in a letter dated 25 January 1640/1, indicating that Mrs. Richards behaved in a fashion "unbeseeming a modest woman's carriage" [WP 4:310]. Lechford also recorded an undated (circa 1640) action by Henry Waltham against "Thomas Richards and Welthin his wife ... for the division of one dwelling house belonging to the mill in Weymouth" [Lechford 351]. The general court ruled that Welthia, the wife of Thomas Richards of Waymoth, was to enjoy rent from Mr. Waltham's part of the house until "her husband return, (if he return this summer)" [MBCR 1:313]. Mrs. Richards brought her maid Edye White to John Winthrop for correction. Among the charges against the maid was that she was "discovering the secrets of the family, one thing she confessed about a maid that drank too much there" [WP 4:232]. On 5 December 1646 Ephraim Hunt of Weymouth, blacksmith, appointed Thomas Richards of Weymouth his lawful attorney to "take possession and seisin of certain lands in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire formerly the possessions and lands of John Hunt of Winchmore Hill in Agmondsham parish" [ Aspinwall 50]. On 2 January 1649[/50] once more on his way to England, Mr. Thomas Richards gave a letter of attorney to Welthian his wife to act in all matters on his behalf [Aspinwall 273]. In 1653/4 Welthian Richards was threatened with the charge of witchcraft, having in the heat of passion threatened terrible things would happen to those she was angered at, they later falling victim to various unpleasant fates. Thomas Thacher, writing in her behalf to John Wilson and others from Weymouth 27 February 1653/4, indicated that she took Christian care of her children and that "God hath so blessed [them] that five or six of them have approved themselves to one church or other, and been readily entertained into their fellowship. Three of whom are now asleep in Jesus. Three survive. One more with us gives great hope of a thorough work on his heart" [WP 6:362]. Her case does not seem to have been brought forward.

Find a Grave Information about Thomas RichardsBirth: April 15, 1596, Keynsham, EnglandDeath: 1650Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USABaptized 15 April 1596, Pitminster, Somersetshire, son of Thomas Richards. A merchant from Pitminster, Somersetshire to Massachusetts Bay in 1633. First settled in Dorchester; moved to Weymouth in 1639. Died between 17 December 1650 (date of will) and 18 January 1650/1 (date of first inventory). Married by 1620, Welthian _____. Perhaps she was sister to Thomas Loring, whom Thomas called "brother" in his will. She died between 3 July 1679 (date of will) and 4 November 1679 (probate of will). Burial:Unknownfound on ancestry.comWill of Thomas RichardsThe will of Thomas Richards of Weymouth was made at the house of Thomas Loring, in Hull, Massachusetts, 17 December, 1650, and was proved 28 January, 1652/1. Bequests were made to his wife; to son John, who is away from home; to son James; to son Samuel; to sons Joseph and Benjamin, both under twenty-one years of age; daughters mary and An and Alce and Hannah; shall have halfe so much as my sonnes; all alike" but Mary is to have £10 more than the others; "to Brother Thos Loringe." Son John, Thomas Loring and Nicholas Baker are to see that the will is carried out. On 18 and 25 January, 1650/1, the goods at Weymouth, Massachusetts, and Boston were inventoried. On 28 January, 1650/1, the inventories were sworn to by Mrs. Richards. An account rendered by her mentions debts due to "mr ffermace of Plimouth," to Thomas Hinckley, to Ephraim Hunt and to Captain Standish of Duxbury. On the same day the following petition of the heirs was presented to the court. "To the Honoured Court at Boston: 28: (11) 1650 Wheras our deare father Mr Thomas Richards late of Waymouth: dyed and left a will but appoynted no executors of the same: We whose names are underwritten doe humbly desire this Honor Court that our deare Mother mrs Welthian Richards: late wife of our deare father deceased: may have power granted by this Court to improve the estate that our father left untill our Brother John Richards shall returne hether he being now in England: or in case of his not returninge untill the Court shall thinke good to dispose otherwise And that our dear Mother may returne an Inventory into this Court of the whole estate of our said father deceased and also be bound to give an account of the said estate upon all demands: That so the estate may be ordred for our good & the payment of our fathers debt: Thus not doubting of your fatherly care for the fatherlesse we humbly take leave James Richards Joseph Richards: Beniamin Richards mr Thomas Hinckley desires ye same by his letter mr wilm Bradford also desires ye same by his letter Epharim Hunt hannah Richards It is also the desire of us whose names are underwritten: whome m, Richard hath chosen Overseers of his last will Thomas Loringe Nico Baker" The Wills of Thomas and Welthian Richards 91 On 3 December, 1651, John Richards acknowledged himself satisfied with his mother's management of the estate. Thomas Richards would appear to be of Dorchester, Eng, and came to New England in the 1630's, settling in Dorchester with Welthian and several children. According to a bio in NEHGR 23:29, he was a much respected merchant and bore the title of "Mr." He died between 1650 and 1651, the dates between which his will was executed and proven. He was the father of eleven children.Transcribed from the Original Records, BY GEORGE ERNEST BOWMANfound on ancestry.comfrom http://www.ads-software.com/hakel/d0002/g0000049.html#I533425 August 2007, copied from web site aboveAlice father Thomas was baptized on 15 April 1596 in Pitminster. He emigrated to Mattapan (Dorchester), Massachusetts, in 1630 aboard the Mary and John, the first ship to leave in Winthrops fleet, embarking on 20 March 1630 from Plymouth and arriving on 30 May at Nantasket. He was chosen a selectman of Dorchester on October 8, 1633 and became a freeman at Weymouth on May 13, 1640. He was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1648.found on ancestry.comBioThomas and Welthian came to America in 1633 on the "Mary and John", first living in Dorchester, Massachusetts, where Thomas was selectman in 1633. They moved to Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1639 where Thomas was admitted freeman in May 1640. He returned to England in 1640, 1646, and 1649, and perhaps on other occasions. Welthian was probably the sister of Thomas Loring, whom Thomas called "brother" in his will, (although whether "brother" means dear friend of the same church, or brother-in-law is not clear). After Thomas' death, Welthian moved to Boston in 1651 where "she was evidently treated as one of the aristocracy."

"In 1653/4 Welthian was threatened with the charge of witchcraft, having in the heat of passion threatened terrible things would happen to those she was angered at, they later falling victim to various unpleasant fates. Thomas Thacher, writing in her behalf to John Wilson and others from Weymouth 27 February 1653/4, indicated that she took Christian care of her children" [WP 6:372]. Welthian brought her maid Edye White to John Winthrop for correction. Among the charges against the maid was that she was "discovering the secrets of the family, one thing she confessed about a maid that drank too much there" [WP 4:232] In her will she bequeathed to granddaughter "Mary Bradford I leave the worst of my three feather beds."found on ancestry.comWill and Biography-Thomas Richards!book Pioneers of Massachusetts by Pope says he was one of the original colony of Dorchester. removed to Weymouth in 1639. Owned a flour mill with Henry Waltham. And died there well to do.!found on ancestry.comThomas Richards - Misc. Information, 1600s, MassachusettsFrom Pioneers of Massachusetts, Surnames Q-R, page 384:

"Mr. Thomas (Richards), one of the original colony of Dorchester from May 18, 1630. Propr. Rem. about 1639 to Weymouth. Owned a mill in com. with Henry Waltham; in his absence, his wife Welthian adjusted partnership matters before Gen. Court 28 (11) 1640. Selectman 1643. Will probably 28 (11) 1650. Wife Welthian; sons John, James, Samuel, Joseph, and Benjamin; daughters Mary, Ann, Alice, and Hannah. (Reg. VII, 232.) The daughter Hannah died at Boston 10 (9) 1651. The widow's will dated at Boston, 3 July, probably 4 November 1679, beq. to children John, James; to Thomas, Alice, Hannah, William, Mercy, John, Samuel, Melatiah, Mary, and Sarah Bradford, children of William Bradford of Plymouth Colony and my daughter Alice, deceased; to Samuel, Thomas Jr., Bathsheba and Mehetable Hinckley, Hannah Glover, Melatiah Crocker, Sarah Bacon and Mary Wiborne, child of Thomas Hinckley of Plymouth Colony and my daughter Mary, dec.; to Ephraim and John, sons of Ephraim Hunt and my late daughter Anne; to children of these grandchildren; to the poor of Boston; to Harvard College; to Sarah Leverett, widow of our late honored governor; to each of the overseers of the will."found on ancestry.comThomas Richards - Welthian Loring 1625, PlymouthThomas Richards:Christened: 15 April 1596Will: 17 December 1650Proved January 28, 1650/51:

Thomas Richards "of the town of Waymouth in New England being at this present [illegible] the 17 December 1650 in the town of Hull in New England aforesaid in the house of Tho: Loringe, being weak and sick in body" bequeathed that "when my son John come home my whole estate shall be cast up what it comes to and my sons John and James and Samuell and Joseph and Benjamine shall have all of them alike, double portions to my daughters out of it, my son John shall have no more than one of the rest because I have been at greater charge with him than with any of the other[s]"; "my daughter[s] Mary and Ann and Alce and Hannah shall have half so much as my sons all alike, only my daughter Mary shall have £10 more than any of the other"; "my wife shall have a competent and sufficient maintenance allowed her out of my estate, that is to say £35 a year ... during her life"; "I do give to brother Thom. Loring £5 for the charge and trouble they have been at with me"; to "Thomas Prosser £20"; "my son John shall have my sons Joseph's and Benjamine's portions in his hands until they be twenty and one years of age"; overseers "my son John and Thomas Loringe and Nicolas Baker both of Hull [sic]"

Family Notes:Thomas and Welthian came to America in 1633 on the "Mary and John", first living in Dorchester, Massachusetts, where Thomas was selectman in 1633. They moved to Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1639 where Thomas was admitted freeman in May 1640. He returned to England in 1640, 1646, and 1649, and perhaps on other occasions. Welthian was probably the sister of Thomas Loring, whom Thomas called "brother" in his will, (although whether "brother" means dear friend of the same church, or brother-in-law is not clear).After Thomas' death, Welthian moved to Boston in 1651 where "she was evidently treated as one of the aristocracy.""In 1653/4 Welthian was threatened with the charge of witchcraft, having in the heat of passion threatened terrible things would happen to those she was angered at, they later falling victim to various unpleasant fates. Thomas Thacher, writing in her behalf to John Wilson and others from Weymouth 27 February 1653/4, indicated that she took Christian care of her children" [WP 6:372]. Welthian brought her maid Edye White to John Winthrop for correction. Among the charges against the maid was that she was "discovering the secrets of the family, one thing she confessed about a maid that drank too much there" [WP 4:232] In her will she bequeathed to granddaughter "Mary Bradford I leave the worst of my three feather beds."Welthian Loring:

Will: 03 July 1679proved 4 November 1679:

"Welthean Richards of Boston ..., widow," bequeathed to "my eldest son John Richards all that my dwelling house and land adjoining scituate in Boston," along with £300 of mine which has been in his hands; to "my son James Richards" £250 of mine which has been in my hands; to Thomas Bradford £5, to Alice Bradford £60, to Hannah Bradford £40; to Mercy Bradford £10, to William Bradford Jr. £20, to John Bradford £10, to Samuel Bradford £5, to Melatiah Bradford £5, to Mary Bradford £5, to Sarah Bradford £5, "these ten above last named being children of William Bradford of Plimouth Colony and my daughter Alice deceased"; to Samuel Hinckley £20, to Thomas Hinckley Jr. £30, to Sarah Bacon £10, to Hannah Glover £5, to Mellatiah Crocker £5, to Bathshua Hinckley £5, to Mehitable Hinckley £5, to Mary Wyborne £5, "these eight last mentioned being children of Thomas Hinckly of Plimouth Colony and my daughter Mary deceased"; to Ephraim Hunt and John Hunt, "sons to Ephraim hunt Sr. of Weymoth and my late daughter Anne," £5 apiece; to "the daughter of Mary Wiborne abovesaid £5, and to her son £10; to the son of Hannah Glover £5; to John Bradford's two children £5 each; to Samuel Hinckley's child £5; to Sarah Bacon's two children £5 each; to "my son James's six children" 20s. apiece; to Thomas Hunt's two children £5 apiece; "more to Alice and Hannah Bradford £5 each to put them in mourning at my funeral"; various philanthropic bequests and bequests of household goods to some of the children and grandchildren named above; "my loving son John Richards to be sole executor and residuary legatee

FootnotesWill, Will of Thomas Richards mentions his "brother" Thomas Loring.Quality: 3.Ibid.Vital Records, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth 1633 -1689.found on ancestry.com